


you don’t have to wait for me (i want to)

by censored



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Childhood Friends, Falling In Love, Fluff, Getting Together, HoH Harley Keener, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Soft Boys, Soft Peter Parker
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2020-06-04
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:20:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24496357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/censored/pseuds/censored
Summary: “I need you to know something before you continue.”“I’m in love with someone.”
Relationships: Harley Keener/Peter Parker/Harry Osborn
Comments: 8
Kudos: 89





	you don’t have to wait for me (i want to)

**Author's Note:**

> my first try at writing this trio

“I need you to know something before you continue.”

Harley had just confessed his feelings to Peter. He was about to ask him out. His best friend of three years, since their senior year of high school and two years into college. They had met through Tony Stark as his personal interns. Peter had stumbled into the lab late one afternoon and stared at Harley for a long moment before Tony had introduced the two. A friendship based on annoying Tony had grown from that. 

Harley started attending Midtown and integrated into the friend group easily. Sure, Harley thought Peter was cute and he knew that Peter thought the same about him, but they were friends first and foremost. It had taken a few months for Peter to reveal his identity to Harley, which Harley understood. It was a big deal. But, from there they became closer friends and patrolled occasionally together around New York. About six months ago, Harley realized that he had caught feelings for Peter. 

It had slowly consumed him since they had first met, but Harley only realized it when he looked at Peter one day. They hadn’t been doing anything unusual. Peter was dressed like he always was, a hoodie with a faded logo and converse and fluffy brown curls. Harley had looked over at him and his heart fluttered. Oh, Harley had thought, I want to kiss him.

Falling for Peter had been slow and steady. 

Peter had stopped Harley halfway through his confession. He had established that he liked Peter more than just a friend, and the brunet had cut him off before he could continue.

Harley closed his mouth, lowering his hands (Harley always talked with his hands) and waited for Peter to tell him.

“I’m in love with someone,” Peter said, his eyes earnest, “someone else.”

Harley felt like his heart was being squeezed. 

“You’re in love with someone else?” Harley confirmed.

Peter nodded.

“Who?” Harley had to know. They had kept their friend group somewhat smallー just Ned, Harley, Peter, MJ, and Gwen, but Peter could have met someone and kept them secret from the rest of them.

Harley dispelled that thought. Peter was terrible at keeping secrets.

Peter hesitated, like he was afraid of Harley’s reaction, before he finally responded.

“My childhood best friend.”

Peter had never mentioned a childhood best friend.

“Who?” 

“You don’t know him,” Peter explained, “He left New York before you moved here”

That made more sense than Harley just not knowing him at all.

“Okay,” Harley said, starting to get up and leave Peter be. He had gotten his feelings out there and had gotten rejected, he knew when to quit. It hurt. It really hurt. But Harley valued their friendship too much to sit here until he said something he would regret.

Peter lightly grabbed his wrist, “Wait.”

Harley sat back down, his brain screamed at him to get up and save his heart before Peter could crush it more.

“That doesn’t mean I don’t have feelings for you,” Peter rushed out, looking at Harley with those damn Bambi eyes.

“But-” Harley had no idea how to put this. “What about the guy you’re in love with?”

Peter looked down at his hands, fidgeting a moment.

“He’s been gone for a couple of years. We keep in contact, through letters because his dad tapped his phone, and he knows about my feelings. But, he told me that he didn’t want me to wait for him. He doesn’t know when he will be back in New York.”

Harley nodded along although Peter was still looking down.

“He told me I shouldn’t turn away anything that would make me happy because of him.”

“He sounds like a great guy,” Harley said, sincerely.

Peter finally looked back up, “He is. I’ll tell you more about him if you want?”

“I’d like that.”

* * *

“Harley, would you like to go out on a date with me?”

Harley gave a laugh. He had confessed to Peter only three days ago, but never got to ask the shorter out. He hadn’t known if Peter would want to go out with him after the brunet gave his own confession, so he hadn’t asked. 

They were in the lab working on their separate projects and Peter had apparently decided now was the best time to pop the question that Harley didn’t after he confessed.

“I was supposed to ask you that!”

Peter was grinning nervously, waiting to hear what Harley’s response would be. He had told the guy who he liked and who liked him back that he was in love with someone else. There wasn’t a guarantee that Harley would still go out with him. 

“I’ll go out on a date with you, darlin’,” Harley told him. “But, could we go slow?”

There wasn’t any need to rush into the relationship. They had time.

“Yeah, of course.”

* * *

One night, as Peter and Harley lay side by side on the roof of Stark Tower, at the end of Peter’s patrol and in the middle of Harley’s insomniac habits, Peter whispers about a boy named Harry that made his childhood so much better.

And so, Harley falls a little bit in love with the boy Peter describes.

* * *

It was inevitable that the man Peter was in love with would miraculously return a month into Harley and Peter dating. 

It had begun as a normal day, Peter and Harley both had a class at 9 AM, then they decided to spend the rest of their Friday at the tower’s lab. 

Harley lived at the tower with Abbie and his mama, but Peter remained in Parker’s apartment in Queens. 

It was easier for Spider-Man stuff and Peter liked being there for May.

Neither of the Parkers would move into the tower. Their stubbornness of using Tony Stark’s money, for anything other than the massive amounts of food that Peter had to consume, influencing that decision.

They had been working in one of the labs, Peter on his Spider-Man gear and Harley on his Iron Lad suit. One of their shared playlists filled the room with soft music, lowered for Peter’s senses, and to not agitate Harley’s hearing aids.

FRIDAY had broken the companionable silence.

“Peter, there is someone downstairs requesting to meet you.”

Peter had raised his eyebrows, but set down the test tube and took off his goggles.

“Want to come down with me?”

“Sure, I could use a break.”

Harley had cleaned up as fast as he could, wiping his hands on a rag and tossing it onto his worktable.

Peter looked amazing, as always. His curly brown hair was extra fluffy today, as it was supposed to rain this afternoon, wearing one of Harley’s flannels over a plain shirt.

Peter pecked Harley on the cheek a moment before the elevator doors revealed them to the lobby. Since they had taken one of the private elevators, they had to turn a corner to get a full reveal of the lobby. 

Peter gasped and Harley followed his eyesight.

Harley was so gay.

He was looking at a guy around their age. He had slightly darker hair than Peter’s, cut into a quiff, with an angular face and green eyes. He both blended in and stood out in his perfectly tailored suit, incredibly put together. He looked a bit familiar, but Harley couldn’t place it.

Peter was no longer by his side, instead, the brunet was running towards the guy.

This must be the mysterious Harry.

Harry and Peter were about the same height, Harley noted, as he made his way towards them. Harley stood a couple inches above both.

Harley had to admit that the boy was cute. Well, maybe cute in regular clothing. In a tailored navy blue suit, he looked hot as hell.

Peter never described his physical appearance, just his personality. 

They pulled away from each other at the same time, and Harley politely looked away as they both wiped their eyes. It occurred to him a moment too late that he should have gone back up to the lab and left them to make up for lost time.

“Harry Osborn,” Harry held out a hand formally. 

Harley shook it. “Harley Keener.”

Here he was in an old t-shirt and jeans, standing in front of a boy that looked like he could be a model, shaking his hand in the lobby of the largest tech conglomerate in the world.

What was Harley’s life?

“Nice to meet you, Harley Keener.”

Harley decided he liked Harry’s voice. 

“Likewise,” Harley nodded. “I’ve heard a bunch about you from Peter.”

“Peter Parker,” Harry turned, “How did you manage to find probably the only southerner in New York City?”

Peter was still grinning, staring at Harry like he had hung the moon.

“He showed up one day in my lab.”

Peter bumped his shoulder against Harley’s, the grin still present on his face, then doing the same to Harry.

“Did you just fly in?”

“Arrived at 5 AM and had two nice meetings from 7 AM until 11 AM,” Harry confirmed. “I went by your apartment, but nobody answered. I assumed you’d be here.”

Harley had a brief moment of feeling like a complete idiot before he remembered Harry’s last name. Osborn. He was probably being trained to take over the company, attending meetings with his father.

_ Peter was childhood best friends with the heir to Oscorp. _

“Any other meetings today?”

“Clear schedule,” Harry grinned. “I’m all yours today.”

Harley was so gay. That should not have sounded dirty.

“Come upstairs! We can catch up in the lounge,” Peter pleaded, turning his Bambi eyes towards Harry.

“You sure Tony Stark won’t kill me for even being in the building?”

Harley hadn’t even considered that. Oscorp was one of SI’s biggest rivals, Tony would have a fit if he saw the heir to the entire company in his penthouse.

“I won’t let him kill you, I swear.”

Tony never did run into Harry while he was at the tower that day.

* * *

Harley’s mind prodded at him insistently. 

Peter’s best friend had returned from being overseas for years, why would he stay with you, it whispered.

He and Peter weren’t exclusively together yet, they were still in the dating stage. They hadn’t labeled it. It had only been a month or so since Harley confessed and they were taking it slow, but now Harry was back. 

Peter was going to break it off soon.

Harry was incredibly attractive and had been Peter's friend for years before Harley.

Harley’s mind tried to convince him that Peter would leave his life for good, but Harley knew Peter and the brunet would never leave Harley voluntarily. They were still best friends. Peter could have more than one significant person in his life. 

Peter and Harley weren’t attached at the hip, they didn’t spend every single moment together, but Harley still felt it when Peter was busy catching up with Harry. He didn’t miss their weekly movie night, but they didn’t hang out quite as much in the lab. Suddenly their free hours didn’t line up as much.

Harley respected it. He and Peter weren’t codependent on each other, they could have separate lives. Harry had been gone for a couple of years, Peter had said. They needed time to catch up, spend time together after being apart for so long. Harley spent the time with Abbie, helping her study for her finals as they were an entire month before Harley’s. 

There weren’t any hard feelings from Harley. He just kind of missed his best friend. They had decided to go slow, and yes, Harley had feelings for Peter, but he’d accept Peter’s desire to break it off with him and date Harry. Peter had warned him about it before they had even gone out, and they hadn’t been going out for long. 

It’d be fine, Harley told himself. He would just distance himself from them and move on.

* * *

After Harry had been back for a week, things started to change. 

Harley was added to a group chat with Harry and Peter, where Harry immediately asked the both of them out for lunch. Harry wanted to get to know Harley. He said that Peter had been talking about Harley in most of his letters and his interest had peaked.

When their schedules lined up, they went out to a small cafe in Queens.

Peter had dragged their friend group there during their senior year, claiming that it had the best brownies in the state.

He wasn’t wrong.

They were meeting up for brunch and Harley was the second to arrive, despite Harley arriving earlier than they had all planned.

He had walked in and spotted Harry at a nice window-side table and Harley gave him a wave, gesturing to the counter to tell him that he was going to order a coffee before he sat down.

One caramel macchiato ordered, he slid into his seat across from Harry.

Harry wasn’t wearing a suit, Harley noticed. Every other time he had seen him (which hadn’t been very much), Harry had been dressed to the nines in a suit. Today, he wore sneakers that looked more expensive than some cars, jeans that fitted him way too nicely, and a soft looking yellow hoodie.

“Harley Keener,” Harry grinned.

“Harry Osborn,” Harley returned the grin. 

He couldn’t help it. Harry’s smiles were infectious.

Harry sipped from his own mug, “Now, I only know what our Peter Parker has told me. Anything else I should know?”

Harley really liked the way Harry used full names to address people. It was endearing. He also really liked the way Harry had also said ‘our’ Peter Parker. 

“Hm,” Harley pondered for a moment, thinking of what Peter could have possibly told Harry about him. “Peter and I go to the same university, but we met our senior year of highschool when I moved to New York.”

Harry was looking at him in a way that Harley couldn’t decipher.

“Assume I know the basic stuff adults like to ask you. Tell me something odd,” the heir told him.

That was more difficult.

“I shot Tony Stark with a potato gun made out of hamster cage parts when he broke into my garage.”

Harry broke out into a loud laugh. It wasn’t a fake laugh either, it was a true laugh. Loud and unrestrained. His head tilted back with the force and Harley’s face felt like it was going to split with how wide his smile was. 

God, Harry was cute.

He didn’t even have the time to berate himself for that thought before Harry was asking him to tell him more.

So, Harley did.

Even as Peter arrived with those cute curls and an oversized hoodie, standing in line to order a cinnamon hot chocolate, and had looked over at them incredibly fondly, Harley continued to tell Harry about his dumb inventions that tended to serve him well. He told him about Abbie and how they had jumped into mossy ponds just because they were bored. He told him about how moving to New York had been such a huge change, but that he had quickly fallen in love with the city.

Harley’s goal was to make Harry laugh like that again.

However, Harry’s soft look wasn’t too bad either.

When Peter had sat down in the empty chair with his mug clutched in his hands (Peter always seemed to run cold), the conversation continued on without any hitch.

There wasn’t any hesitation. No discomfort from any of them. 

Somehow, Harry had fit seamlessly into Peter and Harley’s dynamic, but Harley had also fit seamlessly into Harry and Peter’s dynamic.

Harley didn’t try to distance himself after that.

* * *

There was a gala.

Hosted by Stark Industries.

Pepper and Tony said that both Peter and Harley needed to go, as many of those in the business world had started taking an interest in who would be taking over the company once the Starks decided to retire. While Peter and Harley didn’t hide from the spotlight relating to SI, they weren’t too well known yet.

They had been given tailored suits and Peter and Harley had shared an amused glance when Tony had told them that they were tailored perfectly for them.

There was only one person they both thought of when they saw a tailored suit.

Which in turn made them realize that they hadn’t seen Harry in person in a while. They had a group chat that was plenty active despite their conflicting schedules, but in person meetings were tough to coordinate. Harry occasionally had a free lunch in his schedule which they would meet up for, as being a full time student and a part time Oscorp employee made him quite busy.

Harley's suit ended up being navy blue. It brought out his eyes, Pepper had explained. 

The only thing he could think of was Harry.

Peter’s suit was a nice maroon.

Neither had done anything to their hair. Peter’s hair was a curly mess on his head, but it somehow looked perfect. Harley’s hair had a bit of a wave in it, curling over his ears.

Pepper and Tony looked runway ready.

Abbie was in a suit as well. She had insisted. It was light grey. She killed it. 

She bailed incredibly early into the night, joining their mama upstairs for some movies before heading to bed.

Peter and Harley stuck close to each other when they arrived, moving as a unit through all the important people surrounding them.

The Osborns did show up.

Harley wasn’t sure how invitations worked for things like this, but he thought it was odd that Tony would invite a man he hated.

Norman Osborn was a horrible person, Harley had discerned from Tony and Peter and Harry. 

Harry arrived in a dull green suit. Perfectly tailored. 

It brought out his eyes.

He had very quickly ditched his father, making his way to Peter and Harley immediately. 

After two hours of the three of them talking to investors and board members, Peter dragged them to the elevator, claiming that his senses were overwhelmed. 

They went to the roof. 

There, in their fancy tailored suits that they had only put on for the photos, they sat beneath the dark sky. 

Harley had shrugged off his blazer, rolled up the sleeves of his white undershirt, and took off his tie, taking in the warmth of the night. While Peter ran cold, Harley ran warm. He pretended he didn’t notice Harry and Peter’s eyes on him.

Harry hadn’t taken off his blazer, but he did take off his tie, unbuttoning the top few buttons of his shirt and stretching his neck.

Both Peter and Harley stared.

Harry smirked. Harley failed to ignore how attractive he found that smirk.

Peter had grabbed Harley’s discarded blazer and thrown it over his own shoulders.

Harry and Harley had laughed when Peter claimed that he was cold. 

When the storm finally hit late into the night, after they had been talking and enjoying each other’s company for hours, the three of them stood but none of them moved to go back inside. 

Harry finally took off his blazer and stepped out into the center of the rooftop. He tilted his head back, holding his arms out. 

Harley was struck by how gorgeous Harry was, lit up by the city lights below them, the rain reflecting around him.

The last thing he wanted to do was disrupt this moment for Harry, but Harley stepped out into the center of the rooftop as well. 

Harry turned to him with a delighted laugh and held out a hand. Harley took it. Harry raised it as high as he could get them, going up on his toes to do so, and Harley spun. They kept their hands raised so Harry could spin too.

It took a few moments, but Peter joined them, laughing as they mashed Peter’s hand between their own so he could spin between them both.

* * *

Peter and Harley’s occasional dates started back up, only this time, Harry joined them.

* * *

His boyfriends were koalas, but Harley didn’t mind.

Waking up in the center of his bed with two heads of brunet hair on his chest and the sun gently lighting up the room, causing Peter to turn his head further into Harley’s chest. Harry just mumbled something unintelligible and tightened his arms around Harley. 

Harley’s chest filled with warmth.

A decade ago, he had been sitting alone in his cold garage. Hopelessly stuck in Rose Hill.

Now, as he laid between the two best people he had ever met, Harley was debating if he should get up to go start making them all a nice breakfast. 

“Don’t you dare,” Harry mumbled.

Harry always seemed to know when Harley was going to disrupt their cuddles.

“Okay,” Harley whispered, pressing a kiss into Peter’s curls before doing the same to Harry.

Harry’s arms tightened around him again and Harley relaxed back into their embrace.

Breakfast could wait a couple hours.

**Author's Note:**

> honestly, i wasn't 100% happy with this, but decided to post it anyway
> 
> i hope yall enjoyed!!


End file.
